Saturday 11th July 2009

On a very hot day in London, the Australian team dashed over from the rain in Wales, won the toss and elected to bat - forcing us to face up to several hours in the field in the hottest part of the day.

They played steadily, albeit not spectacularly, until (in the 11th over) Phil made a breakthrough: 27-1.

This brought Ponting in, and an increase in the run-rate - by the end of the 15th over (the halfway stage) they had reached 53-1, and I anticipated being set a target of between 120 and 150.

Fortunately, not long after this Christopher managed to do what had taken the whole England team considerably longer earlier this week, as Mincat held onto a hard shot from Ponting, off his bowling: 60-2.

A brilliant one-handed catch by Mincat, again off Christopher's bowling disposed of the next wicket: 67-3.Christopher got his third wicket, when Ivy held a catch: 68-4.

Carol took a diving catch off my bowling: 76-5.

Rob got the next wicket - a third catch by Mincat: 88-6.

I held the next catch, also off Rob's bowling: 90-7.

In the next over a hat-trick from me finished their innings: 90-10.I feel the BMCC should offer to take over from the current England crowd for the next Test. At least we can bowl Australia out.

The Aussies didn't quite know what to make of the high tea that Z had prepared.

We only needed to score three an over, so I asked for steady, careful batting. As you can imagine, that's exactly not what I got:

Ad was bowled when we had only reached 5-1.

Christopher chipped a catch to third slip: 8-2.

Richard did exactly the same: 15-3.

ILTV was bowled: 26-4.

The rot stopped there, as player-of-the-match Mincat went on to score an unbeaten 52, leaving us on 91-4.We still head the league of course.Next week would have been away in the West Indies, but we have been awarded the trophy as league winners already, so shall instead be playing a Test Match against Australia.

Saturday 4th July 2009

I arrived in Bedfordshire last night, by way of India, where we were playing against a team still smarting from their defeat by England in the Twenty20 competition, and looking for revenge.

They won the toss, and elected to bat - which looked like the wrong decision when Rob knocked out the middle stump in his first over: 0-1.

That gave us a false sense of optimism however, as their batsmen dug in and scored steadily at a rate of over 4 an over - particularly Tandelki, who reached his 50 in the 15th over - and that just encouraged them to hit out even more, their 100 coming up in the 20th over (during which Tandelki was dropped twice - the kind of sloppiness in the field I thought we had eliminated. Harsh words were thought).

At last a wicket fell, when (leading by example) I held on to a catch from Phil's bowling: 108-2.

They continued to score well, until Tandelki finally fell, a sharp catch off Rob's bowling being held by Mincat: 121-3.

This brought about a collapse - Rob taking his third wicket when I held another catch: 129-5.

Rob returned the compliment the next over, holding a catch off my bowling: 130-6.

I bowled the next man: 130-7.

Rob got Druvad to nick the ball to Richard: 130-8.

He then got a clean bowled, for his five-fer: 131-9.

A classy yorker was dug out, but only for the ball to reach a diving Richard 131-10.It had looked at the halfway stage that they would be setting us a target nearer 200, so we did well to restrict them to 131, but even so, this could be a challenging target.

Our new opening bat, Ad, set off well, with some bright strokes, before being caught and bowled in the second over: 18-1.

The Indians were playing very aggressively, and it was no surprise when another wicket fell, ILTV being bowled: 27-2.

Batting at number 4 seemed to suit Christopher better than opening, as he and I pushed the score on well (indeed he ended up our second highest scorer) before he was caught: 62-3.

Richard too was caught, going for a flashy drive: 66-4.

Unbelievably, Mincat tried the same shot off the next ball, with an identical result: 66-5.

Half our wickets gone, and halfway to the target - but our main batsmen out.

Carol was caught out soon after, and we were in deep trouble, on 72-6.

Another sharp catch saw Ivy out: 80-7.

I was still in, but just had the three bowlers left to support me. Could we score 52 between us?

I was dropped twice on caught and bowled chances, but sadly Rob wasn't: 83-8.

At least my half century came up.I tried to keep the strike, but inevitably Phil ended up facing a fast ball, and was bowled; 102-9.

Thirty runs needed, and just Vicus and I to score them. They had pushed the fielders out deep - offering me singles, which would give them the chance to bowl at Vicus. I suspect this tactic would have worked eventually, but for some unaccountable reason their captain changed his strategy, and brought the fielders in close around my bat - which meant, as long as I didn't give a catching chance, I could score boundaries. I grabbed my chance, and struck four after four, until, eventually, we reached 133-9 and won!We are, naturally, still top of the table. Next week we play Australia, at Lords.

Saturday June 27th 2009

We played this match in Southampton, so that Phil and Vicus didn't have quite so far to travel.

I won the toss, and elected to bat.

Sadly, Christopher was caught and bowled in the first over. I promoted him to opener this season as a reward for kindnesses shown, but that might not have been such a favour, as it has rather affected his form. I think next week we'll give Ad a try-out at the number one position: 2-1

The grass on the outfield was looking very lush - it was a real effort to drive the ball as far as the boundary, but Ad and I did our best, putting on fifty before he was caught and bowled: 52-2.

I too was C&B: 61-3.

Mincat was caught in the slips: 73-4.

Richard was caught by their keeper: 95-5.

ILTV was bowled: 95-6.

As was Rob: 111-7.

And Ivy: 112-8.

Phil was run out: 114-9.

Vicus was caught and bowled: 125-10.Our catering manager had decided to take the weekend off, and Phil had eaten the boiled fruit cake that Ziggo made last weekend, but as we were by the sea, fish and chips were on the menu, as well as a vegetarian option (chips and chips).

On our return to the field, Vicus got the first two wickets: 1-2.

Rob got the third: 3-3.

South Africa rallied slightly from that disastrous start, before Vicus achieved an edge to Carol in the slips: 29-4.

Phil bowled his man: 35-5.

Rob got an edge to Richard: 41-6.

I got a caught and bowled: 55-7, and a clean bowled: 55-8.

Vicus knocked a stump out: 60-9.

Phil finished the match off: 61-10.

Naturally we are still top of the league.

Saturday June 20th 2009

My kidneys were causing me a lot of pain yesterday. I'd really rather not have been playing, but I couldn't find a substitute at short notice. I did agree to play, but said I'd be batting at number 11 (and hoping I wouldn't need to bat) and resting in the outfield, and not bowling.

Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat. Bowling turned out to be hard work on a flat and unresponsive wicket. We toiled in the sun to little effect, until, eventually (in the 11th over) Mincat held onto a catch off Phil's bowling: 26-1.

The next over Rob managed to get a nick to carry to Richard: 27-2.

This brought Joyewordine in, who immediately started attacking the bowling aggressively.

Eventually, Christopher got another edge to Richard: 63-3.

Ivy held a catch off Vicus: 70-4.

She then caught Joyewordine, off Christopher's bowling: 81-5.

Christopher next achieved an LBW: 81-6.

Vicus hit the off stump: 84-7.

Ad (who had been attacked quite ruthlessly by the batsmen) got his first wicket for the club, with a catch by Mincat: 96-8.

There were 5 overs still to be bowled, but our top bowlers only had a couple of overs left - so rather than see Ad being punished any further, I dragged myself to the crease, and bowled four gentle balls - taking their last two wickets: 97-10.
I went for a lie-down (and some strong drugs) so have no idea what tea was like.

We only needed just over three an over, so I emphasised that a nice, steady attack was all that was needed.

Ad was given out LBW: 1-1.

Mincat was bowled: 5-2.

Against my better judgement, and perhaps under the influence of the drugs, I was persuaded that I should go out to bat now, to try to steady the ship. Christopher and I managed to do that, until he was bowled: 42-3.

ILTV was caught and bowled: 46-4.

Richard was caught in the slips: 62-5.

Carol was caught and bowled: 67-6.

I was bowled: 82-7.

Could our tail get the 16 runs we needed?

Rob was bowled: 88-8.

That was the last wicket to fall, and we ended winners, on 98-8.We are, naturally, still top of the league.That marks the halfway stage in the season. Next week we play South Africa again.